a robot with eyebrows

Fri, 2008-05-02 00:21

MIT's media lab recently posted on YouTube a video of a creation called Nexi. Its claim to fame is a set of eyebrows that can rise in surprise, slant in anger, and register other emotions, with some help from eyes that can change shape somewhat to help register the intended mood. You can view a news release and get to the video here:

I must admit that the video is a bit of a let down. Anamatronic designers have been creating puppets able to express similar emotions for years. Of course, puppets can't react to their surroundings or interact with humans as Nexi is ultimately supposed to do.